Illuminating bicycle wheel device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an illumination device for use with spoked wheels, such as bicycle wheels, wherein the wheel includes a hub portion, a plurality of spokes, and a rim portion. The illumination device includes a power pack, at least one adaptor body, and at least one attachment portion. The power pack having at least one wire, a flexible button cap, a body housing, and circuit board with a switch. The at least one wire including a plurality of light sources. The at least one attachment portion including a clip portion providing for the installation of the at least one adaptor body to the bicycle spokes. The illumination device also includes a holder for the installation of the power pack to the bicycle wheel. Further, the illumination device may include a tubular body located in the internal cavity of the at least one adaptor body.

This non-provisional application is a continuation of and claimspriority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/374,828, filed on Jul. 13, 2021, which claims priority to and thebenefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/051,146, filed onJul. 13, 2020, all incorporated herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Bicycle wheels with integrally formed illumination sources are known inthe art.

However, said wheels require replacing pre-existing wheels, orpurchasing a bicycle with illuminated wheels already in place. Theseproducts increase costs to the consumer significantly, especially aconsumer who already owns a bicycle or vehicle with similarly styledwheels.

Many of the already existing apparatuses for illuminating a bicyclewheel are large and cumbersome as said apparatuses include non-flexibleparts and large power sources. The majority of these apparatuses includepower sources requiring the use of regular sized batteries, for example,AA or AAA batteries. The weight of said apparatuses can significantlyoffset the center of the mass of the bicycle wheel, introducingcentripetal forces onto the device. Therefore, in order to brace againstthese forces, said devices require the mass of the device to beincreased, further offsetting the center of mass of the bicycle wheel.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a device which can illuminate abicycle tire without the drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY

Presently disclosed is an illumination device for bicycle wheels, wherethe illumination device comprises a power pack, at least one adaptorbody, and at least one attachment portion. The power pack including atleast one wire, wherein said wire comprises a plurality of lightsources. The plurality of light sources are placed inside the adaptorbody and the adaptor body is attached to the bicycle wheel using the atleast one attachment portion. The power pack is attached to the bicyclewheel by a holder. The holder may attach the power pack to a hub portionof the bicycle wheel. Alternatively, the holder may attach the powerpack to a plurality of spokes of the bicycle wheel. In some embodiments,the illumination device may further include at least one tubular bodyinside the at least one adaptor body. The at least one tubular bodyproviding for the diffusion of light of the plurality of light sourcesinside the at least one adaptor body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel;

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a portion of an illuminationdevice for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top exploded view of a power pack and holder of anillumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom exploded view of a power pack and holder ofan illumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of an illuminationdevice for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 7 illustrates a portion of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel;

FIG. 8 illustrates an isometric view of a portion of an illuminationdevice for a bicycle wheel installed on a hub portion of a bicyclewheel;

FIG. 9 illustrates an illumination device installed on a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 10 illustrates an illuminated bicycle wheel;

FIG. 11 illustrates a portion of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel installed on a spoke of a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 12 illustrates a portion of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel;

FIG. 13A illustrates a top view of a portion of an illumination devicefor a bicycle wheel installed on a hub portion of a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 13B illustrates a portion of an illumination device for a bicyclewheel installed on a plurality of spokes of a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 14A illustrates a bottom view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 14B illustrates a top view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 14C illustrates a side view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 14D illustrates a side view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel;

FIG. 14E illustrates a bottom view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel; and

FIG. 14F illustrates a side view of a body housing portion of a powerpack of an illumination device for a bicycle wheel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1-14F illustrate the currently claimed illumination device 10 fora bicycle wheel 12. A bicycle wheel 12 comprises a tire portion 14, ahub portion 16, a rim portion 18, and a plurality of spokes 20. The rimportion 18 provides structure to the tire portion 14 of the bicyclewheel 12. The hub portion 16 is located in the center of the wheel. Eachspoke of the plurality of spokes 20 comprises two ends. One end of thespoke connects to the hub portion and the other end of the spokeconnects to rim portion. As discussed and described in detail below, theillumination device 10 may be installed on various locations of thebicycle wheel.

FIGS. 1-2 show the illumination device 10 comprising a power pack 22, atleast one adaptor body 24, and at least one attachment portion 26. Eachadaptor body 24 includes a proximal end 28, a distal end 30, and aninternal cavity 32. The internal cavity 32 of each adaptor body 24extends from the proximal end 28 to the distal end 30. The adaptor bodymay comprise of a semi-opaque material. Alternatively, or additionally,the adaptor body may comprise of a clear material. In either case, theadaptor body material allows light to shine from the inside cavity tothe outside of the adaptor body.

As show in FIG. 6, each attachment portion 26 comprises a first end 34,a second end 36, an internal cavity 38, and a clip portion 40. Theinternal cavity 38 of each attachment portion is adapted to receive anadaptor body 24. The at least one attachment portion may be removablyattached to the adaptor body. Alternatively, or additionally, the atleast one attachment portion may be fixed to the adaptor body. As shownin FIG. 2, the at least one attachment portion 26 may be placed at theproximal end 28 of the adaptor body, at the distal end 30 of the adaptorbody, or both. Additionally, or alternatively, the at least oneattachment portion may be placed between the proximal end 28 and distalend 30 of the adaptor body.

The clip portion 40 of each attachment portion 26 provides a surface forinstallation of the corresponding adaptor body 24 to the bicycle wheel.As shown in FIG. 11, the clip portion 40 comprises a semicircular shapeportion 42. The semicircular shape portion 42 attaches to a spoke 44 ofthe plurality of spokes 20 of the bicycle wheel locking the clip portion40 to the spoke 44. In turn, the attachment portion 26 and correspondingadaptor body 24 are attached to the bicycle wheel 12. The semicircularshaped portion of the clip portion allows for the placement of theattachment portion and adaptor body throughout the length of the spoke.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, a holder 46 may removably attach the power pack22 to the bicycle wheel. The holder 46 comprises an adjustable strapportion 48, at least two hook portions 50, and a pocket portion 52,wherein the adjustable strap portion 48 is removably attached to atleast one hook portion of the at least two hook portions 50. The powerpack 22 may be located within the pocket portion 52 of the holder 46.The adjustable strap portion 48 may comprise a plurality of openings 54adapted to adjust the length of the adjustable strap for installation tothe bicycle wheel, each opening 54 capable of accepting one hook portionof the at least two hook portions 50.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate exploded top and bottom views of power pack 22 andholder 46, respectively. Power pack 22 comprises at least one wire 56, aflexible button cap 58, a body housing 60, and a circuit board 62 with aswitch 64. The at least one wire 56 comprises a plurality of lightsources 66, wherein the plurality of light sources may include LightEmitting Diodes (LEDs). The plurality of lights sources may also includeLEDs emitting light at varying wavelengths. The wavelengths may changeover time. In one aspect, wherein the power pack comprises two or morewires, each wire may include a plurality of light sources emitting lightat different wavelengths.

The power pack 22 may further comprise a spring 68, a pair of fasteners70, at least one battery 72, and an O-ring 74. The spring 68 providesfor the electrical contact between the circuit board 62 and the at leastone battery. The at least one battery may include CR2032 batteries. TheO-ring 74 provides for a waterproof seal.

FIGS. 14A-14F show close-up views of the body housing 60 of the powerpack 22. FIG. 14A shows a bottom view of the body housing 46. FIG. 14Bshows a top view of the body housing 46. The body housing 60 comprisesof a top portion 76, a bottom portion 78, and a central portion 80. Thetop portion 76 of the body housing may be removably attached to theflexible body cap 58. Alternatively, the top portion of the body housingmay be fixed to the flexible body cap. As shown in FIG. 14E, the centralportion 80 comprises an opening 82 wherein the at least one wire 56exits the power pack, said opening including waterproofing material.

The bottom portion 78 of the body housing may be removably attached tothe holder 46. As illustrated in FIG. 14F, the bottom portion 78 of thebody housing may comprise at least one bayonet attachment 84. The bodyhousing rotates in one direction causing the bayonet attachment to slideinto a matching shaped slot 86 in the holder 46, compressing the O-ring74. The body housing may be threaded. Alternatively, or additionally,the body housing may be non-threaded. When the body housing is removedfrom the holder, the spring 68 pushes the at least one battery slightlyupwards partially ejecting the battery or batteries from the bodyhousing. The circuit board 62 keeps each battery in place. The batteryor batteries rotate but remain mechanically connected to the bodyhousing. This mechanism provides for easy access to each batteryfacilitating the replacement of the same.

The compact design of the power pack and holder allows for theinstallation of the power pack in multiple locations of a bicycle wheel.In one aspect of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 8-12, and morespecifically in FIGS. 13A-13B, a power pack 88 may be installed on a hubportion 90 of a bicycle wheel. Alternatively, or additionally, the powerpack 88 may be installed between spokes 92 of a bicycle wheel.

The power pack is removably attached to the holder. As described above,the holder includes an adjustable strap portion, at least two hookportions, and a pocket portion. In some aspects, the adjustable strapportion may include a plurality of openings, each opening capable ofaccepting at least one hook portion. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 13A, toinstall the power pack to the hub portion of the bicycle wheel, theadjustable strap 48 of the holder 46 is wrapped around the circumferenceof the hub portion of the bicycle tire. Then, the adjustable strapportion 48 is linked to the at least one hook portion of the ate leasttwo hook portions 50 through at least one opening of the plurality ofopenings 54 of the adjustable strap. The power pack and holder, andhence the illumination device, may stay secured to the central hubportion of the bicycle wheel due to the material of the adjustable strapportion, wherein said material has a high coefficient of friction, forexample, rubber like material. The material may also be elastic. Theelasticity allows the adjustable strap portion to be stretched outbeyond its resting length to link to the at least one hook portion. Bystretching the adjustable strap portion, the device can exert normalpressure onto the central hub portion of the bicycle wheel; thus,increasing friction and securing the holder, power pack, and hence, theillumination device to the bicycle wheel. Furthermore, the elasticity ofthe adjustable strap portion allows for the same to be customizable tothe circumference of the hub portion. As such, the illumination devicecan be used on a variety of hub portion sizes.

In one aspect of the invention, the at least one wire comprising aplurality of light sources, may be extended throughout the length of theinternal cavity of the adaptor body from the proximal end to the distalend of the adaptor body. As illustrated in FIG. 7, extending the atleast one wire throughout the internal cavity of the adaptor body resultin having more than one light source inside the adaptor body. Theadaptor body may comprise of semi-opaque material. Alternatively, theadaptor body may comprise a clear material. When the illumination deviceis in used, the light of the plurality of light sources shine from theinside cavity of the adaptor body to the outside illuminating the deviceand in turn, the bicycle wheel. The color of the adaptor body materialmay match the color of the plurality of lights. Alternatively, oradditionally, the plurality of light sources may output a differentfrequency of light for each wire of the at least one wire.

In another aspect of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 6, theillumination device may further include at least one tubular body 94.The at least one tubular body may be a solid tube. As shown in FIG. 12,the at least one tubular body 94 is placed in the internal cavity of anadaptor body 48 and extends from the proximal end 50 of the adaptor bodyto the distal end 52 of the adaptor body. At least one wire including aplurality of light sources is placed at the proximal end of the adaptorbody. The tubular body is placed in the inside cavity of the adaptorbody. The tubular body allows for the diffusion of light of the at leastone light of the plurality of light sources located at the proximal endof the adaptor body. The tubular body allows for the diffusion of lightthroughout the length of the internal cavity of the adaptor body as ifthere were more than one light source inside the adaptor body.Therefore, less light sources may be needed to illuminate the device.This, in turn, may decrease the cost of the illumination device. Whenthe illumination device is in used, the light of the plurality of lightsources shines from the inside cavity of the adaptor body to the outsideilluminating the device and in turn, the bicycle wheel. The color of theadaptor body material may match the color of the plurality of lights.Alternatively, or additionally, the plurality of light sources mayoutput a different frequency of light for each wire of the at least onewire.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9-10, the illumination device comprising a powerpack, at least one adaptor body, and an at least one attachment portionis placed on a bicycle wheel. The at least one adaptor body is placed onthe plurality of spokes of the bicycle wheel by the at least oneattachment portion.

The power pack comprises at least one wire, a flexible button cap, abody housing, and circuit board with a switch, the at least one wirecomprising a plurality of light sources. The power pack may furthercomprise a spring, a pair of fasteners, at least one battery, and aO-ring, wherein the spring is adapted to provide contact between thecircuit board with a switch and the at least one battery.

The power pack may be located within a pocket portion of a holder. Theholder comprises an adjustable strap portion, at least two hookportions, and a pocket portion, wherein the adjustable strap portion isremovably attached to at least one hook portion of the at least two hookportions. The adjustable strap may comprise a plurality of openingsadapted to adjust the length of the strap for installation, each openingcapable of accepting one hook portion of the at least two hook portions.

The power pack may be placed on the hub portion of the bicycle wheel bywrapping around the adjustable strap portion of the holder around thecircumference of the hub portion of the bicycle wheel. Alternatively,the power pack may be placed between the plurality of spokes of thebicycle wheel by wrapping around the adjustable strap portion of theholder around at least two spokes of the plurality of spokes of thebicycle wheel.

Once the illumination device is placed on the bicycle wheel, the devicemay be turn on by depressing the flexible button cap causing electricityto flow to the plurality of light sources resulting in an illuminatedbicycle wheel, as shown in FIG. 10.

While this invention has been shown and described with respect to adetailed embodiment or embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that changes in form and detail thereof may bemade without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A power pack for an illumination device comprising:a flexible button cap; a body housing; and a circuit board with aswitch; and at least one wire comprising a plurality of light sources;wherein the body housing comprises a top portion, a central portion, anda bottom portion, the central portion between the top portion and thebottom portion, the top portion of the body housing is attached to theflexible button cap, the bottom portion of the body housing is attacheda holder, and the circuit board with a switch located between the holderand the flexible button cap.
 2. The power pack for an illuminationdevice as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least two wires, eachwire comprising a plurality of light sources, wherein the plurality oflight sources of each wire outputs a different frequency of light. 3.The power pack for an illumination device as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising a spring and at least one battery, wherein the spring isadapted to provide contact between the circuit board with a switch andthe at least one battery.
 4. The power pack for an illumination deviceas claimed in claim 1 further comprising an O-ring, the O-ring locatedwithin the holder.
 5. The power pack for an illumination device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the holder comprises at least two hookportions.
 6. The power pack for an illumination device as claimed inclaim 5, the holder further comprising an adjustable strap, theadjustable strap is removably attached to at least one hook portion ofthe at least two hook portions
 7. The power pack for an illuminationdevice as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjustable strap comprises aplurality of openings adapted to adjust the length of the strap, eachopening capable of accepting one hook portion of the at least two hookportions.
 8. The power pack for an illumination device as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the power pack is removably attached to a circumferenceof a hub portion of a bicycle wheel by the adjustable strap.
 9. Thepower pack for an illumination device as claimed in claim 6, wherein thepower pack is removably attached to at least two spokes of a bicyclewheel by the adjustable strap.
 10. The power pack for an illuminationdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top portion of the bodyhousing is removably attached to the flexible button cap.
 11. The powerpack for an illumination device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thebottom portion of the body housing is removably attached to the holder.12. The power pack for an illumination device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the central portion of the body housing comprises an opening.13. The power pack for an illumination device as claimed in claim 12,the central portion of the body housing further comprises waterproofingmaterial.
 14. The power pack for an illumination device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the body housing comprises atleast one bayonet attachment.
 15. The power pack for an illuminationdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body housing is threaded.